And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
The following I would have posted earlier, but I wanted
to have more confirmation on the overflights, first.
This message is particularly disturbing because of the part:
"gaint military personnel transport helicopters each flew at about 100
feet
over each tipis. [Camp security stated the helicopters had their double
slide door opened fully, with each having a gunner peeking down at the
camp.]"
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 16:50:52 -0700 (MST)
From: Bahe Yazzie Katenay <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Witness Camp: Week 5...
Camp Host Views Current Outlook
As my continued stay here proceeds on the land of the Sovereign Dineh
Nation which is protected by the traditional Elder Weavers, we, the
participants and coordinators of this Educational Witness Camp are
entering our 5th week. It is rough out here, but the solidarity with the
elders in resistance and the land they protect is strong.
We are here as a relief camp, the kind-humble students from California
and
visitors from London and Bulgaria have all worked very hard to help the
Dineh Elders complete their Spring work of planting, weeding, fencing,
shearing wool and mohair, cooking, and weaving. The Witness Camp is
respecting the traditional Elders and their land. We ask that no weapons
or alcohol be allowed at this support Camp, and that all vechicle must
be
parked outside to protect the foliage and archealogical remains.
This land is full of sacred sites, as well as ancient cultural sites, and
they are still so intact. The animal and plant life exist freely. I do
see
Hopi Cattle coming in here, which kind of contradicts overgrazing
awareness or it contradicts land-restoration efforts like livestock
reductions. This immediate introduction of Hopi cattle also eliminate the
theories of the "carrying capacity of a range unit" and appropiate length
of time for natural restoration to take place. I have become aware of the
these differences through reading about the range management objectives
of
the Hopi tribal rangers and their escorts, the BIA Police. I believe
livestock reuction and the Keams Canyon BIA-Agency Office should be made
obsolete immediately. That is something we all have been well aware of
for
years.
The Hopi monitorers, Rangers and Leaders have been showing some respect
and courteous to us since we have settled here. Personally, I have dealt
with them (with occasional backing from Pauline Whitesinger) over ten
times in the past two weeks. Every interaction has begun with a hand
shake, human to human peaceful talks and cooperation, and this has allowed
us to be still here. I have requested several times to the Tribal
Officials to please not make us criminals out here and because we are
helping the elders. Our Camp has two tipis, a large kitchen and one
latrine. The monitorer has warn us not to attempt setting up the other
tipi poles. I hope to recieve the proper permit any day. I do believe that
these Hopi monitorers and Rangers know exactly why we are here and that
is
to provide relief and support during such hard times experienced by these
true resistors.
Incident of June 7th 1999 at the Witness Camp:
No, it is not comfortable when a Ranger uses their GPS (Global
Positioning System) to take coordinates of the classroom tipi, while
inside, the Dineh elder weavers are humbly teaching ancient methods of
weaving. While the BIA Monitorers carry-out careful inspection of the
temporary structures, inside this tipi there were Non-Indian students and
a few local youths learning the art of wool carding, spinning, tool-use,
and coordinating the looms. To their disbelief these BIA Monitorers
entered the tipi just to be stared at by a disrupted Dineh instructional
weaving class. Two hours following the entry of the coordinates of this
tipi, I seen the strangest thing when two desert-camoflauged, Jarworsky
military helicopters came in from the east and approached the Camp. These
gaint military personnel transport helicopters each flew at about 100 feet
over each tipis. [Camp security stated the helicopters had their double
slide door opened fully, with each having a gunner peeking down at the
camp.] Their second pass over the Camp ground continued on instead of
hovering over as they did in the first pass.
I would really like to know who ordered those flights. It's the 2nd time
in a week that military transport helicopters manuevered over Mrs.
Whitesinger's airspace. [According to the Air Force, they have said there
is already a designated military training flight "corridor" that just
happens to cross the Big Mountain region. Any such flights are restricted
to only this 15 mile-wide corridor and to only maintain an altitude of
300
feet over the terrain, and no pilots are to stray off outside this
corridor. However, one AF Captain laugh and said, "And sometimes our boys
might had a good day and go off on a leisurely flight." This incident with
the flights over the tipis isn't a leisurely flight.] Pauline says that
some of these helicopters are being flown by Dineh pilots from a
reservation base. The immediate question is who is ordering these
over-flights? This kind of military manuevers has had the Dineh residents
feel uncomfortable. Local children are beginning to make up stories, 'army
airplanes landed and gave them military fatigues at their houses.' This
kind of thinking can only be to assure that the planes are friendly,
caring and giving. But the question remains, is there a possibility that
the U.S. Military can coordinate efforts with the BIA via Hopi
(progressive) government to assess the status of non-Indian/Dineh resistor
alliance?
Observation of BIA and Peabody Western Coal Company:
Most of the Hopi Rangers and BIA Police personnel are Hopis, Apaches,
Navajos, Tewas, Pueblos, and certain other tribes. One particular officer,
Clifford Nodman Jr., has shown the most diplomatic skills and humanitarian
values. Swaneagle has went as far as to ask him to not wear his gun in
the
Camp and for himself to join the resistance. Mr. Nodman has respected such
request of leaving his pistol in the truck and has shown a high standard
of respectful Officer behavior that we hope sets a precident for other
BIA
personnel assigned to this area.
The elders have stated to me that the Accomocation Agreement is a failure.
They are required to go to meeting after meetings to find out what their
rights are. One grandmother has had threats of her new home being
dismantled and she has now hired a lawyer to stop that. No one who has
signed the settlement Agreement has ever recieved a copy of what they have
signed two years ago.
Another important point which these elders resistors agree to is that,
the
BIA and some tribal officials have been bought by the corporate profit,
and these harrassment activities are ordered by the corporate dominations.
This consistency of applying pressure is carried out by the CEOs of
Peabody Western Coal Company's Irl Inglehart and Howard Carson. The Dineh
elders and youth of Big Mtn. met with these CEOs for years to get the area
perserved and protected from future mining expansions, and these two men
promised to replace all the natural springs and begin protections of
certain areas of concern. Out of these negotiations, some of the HPL
residents were assist with water-hauling, and cellur phone services which
did allow incoming calls but which were suddenly turned off without any
warning. This was what another 'promise' giving to the Dineh resulted in
after four years of non-pleasurable, peaceful talks with Peabody. Now,
as
most of you are aware Peabody has relocated its main office back to St.
Louis and with a sub-office at the Kayenta Mine. I believe that Coal
Company President Howard Carson left the area to avoid the pressure that
would be directed on him concerning or stemming from ideas of harassment
or monitoring that has increased severely in Big Mtn.
Another matter to clear up is that it was not the Coal Company who opened
the capped wells in the HPL, nor was it the BIA. It was the Hopi Land
Operation's Water department that finally opened six capped wells a few
years ago for the Dineh livestock that were in isolated, water stricten
regions. What this Weavers' negotiations learned was that the BIA has
capped many of these wells for 10 to 30 years. and that many of these
wells were installed perhaps without any Public Health Service
involvement. I have come to a conclusion that the Hopi L.O. Water
Department were extremely understanding and respectful.
I am hoping also that, people realize that there is coporate greed behind
these systemic pressures put upon these Dineh communities. The Hopi Tribal
Office has told me that we could be their grand children's best
advocators. Many do not want this land destroyed. They, somewhat, believe
that this is a sacred land that should be remain protected and perserved.
We can not count on Hillary R. Clinton, we have asked her to come her for
six years. The Weavers sent 30 faxes just this past year alone. She was
"voluntarily distracted" by AZ Senator McCain while she was in Arizona.
They could not take a few hours for her to come and meet the 'original
indigenous inhabitants' of America, the traditional Dineh Weavers. All
these original inhabitants want is some high ranking, influencial official
to take a look at this prestine land and see to it that it deserves
protection. But instead Mrs.Clinton was diverted to a well travelled
tourist site to dedicate a senic trail that had no historic significant.
Then we have AZ Senator McCain and President Clinton speaking against
"ethnic cleansing," while the Dineh and traditional Hopis wonder why they
didn't stop the genocide here in a region once considered as a jointly
used cultural territory. This isolated area, 50 miles to nearest
pay-phone, no running water, no electricity, many ancient cultural sites,
and landscapes laden with water and coal resources is now effected by
"ethnic cleansing" at the hands of the U.S. government and Peabody's
corporate interest. Corporate laws designed to overstep Treaty Rights has
made these Dineh Elders experience so much low intensity warfare that even
a reporter that was here last week said he would never believe it if he
hadn't seen it for himself.
I am ashamed of Mrs. Clinton now, and also realizing again, that Bill
Clinton's campaign was probably fed and fueled by the British Empire
(Hanson Corporation, Ltd.) in order to get Mr. Clinton to the sign another
Anti-Indian legislation in 1997. I wouldn't even doubt if AZ Senator
McCain, and Former AZ Governor and current Secretary of Interior Bruce
Babbitt were involved in this Anti-Traditional Dineh Elderwomen strategy.
Until the Dineh Elders live free of this kind of Genocide and until
Leonard Peltier is free, none of us are really free.
In Solidarity, Arlene Hamilton
Head Coordinator for the Weaving for
Freedom, and Witness Camp Host
[NOTE: The preceeding statement was handwritten on June 13, 1999 at the
Witness Camp and was taken 150 miles away to be typed and send out.
Support is essential and a Dineh coordinators or Non-Indian supporter who
are on HPL need electronic tools to access the internet and/or document
important information. Bracket notations were inserted for clarity by Bahe
Katenay, a long-time Sovereign activist and a professional Sheep Herder.]
BYK
For Big Mountain
and other activist internet resources, visit "The
Activist Page" at
http://www.theofficenet.com/~redorman/welcome.html
Also, for great internet tools please visit:
http://www.msw.com.au/cgi-bin/msw/entry?id=1271
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